Getty ImagesUpdated 6/22 @ 4:48 p.m.: Penn State coach Bill O’Brien has announced that receiver Devon Smith has “left the team for personal reasons” *winkwink* *nudgenudge*. No other explanation was given, but Smith was facing drug charges (see below) related to a police raid of a residence in March.
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Hit with drug charges stemming from a police raid of his residence in March, it appears Penn State receiver Devon Smith is beginning to the see the repercussions of his situation.
And, as one might expect, it includes his dismissal from the team… reportedly.
247Sports is reporting through multiple sources that Smith will not return to the team this season, though no one at Penn State has confirmed the departure… yet. Additionally, Smith’s high school coach told Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror that he was unaware of any dismissal.
Smith was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in April following the police raid, though he still remained on Penn State’s two-deep. He was also limited this spring with a foot injury.
Smith reeled in 25 receptions for 402 yards last season as a junior, good for third on the team.
Penn State has really turned into “thug U”.
Isn’t it time for these outstanding colleges and universities to be much more discriminate when selecting student/athletes? Many of these kids do not belong in college let alone playing a sport and being a “real student”. You can take a kid out of the ghetto but it really is difficult to take the ghetto out of the kid. This jackass is a good case in point. If anywhere, this punk should be at a school like Auburn where this kind of behavior is the norm. Not at a world-class university like Penn State.
He was nailed for pot. That falls under the heading of stupid, not dangerous. He wasn’t stealing stuff or beating folks up.
It would be nice if college athletes would always show good judgement (or at least discretion). It would also be nice if every FBS school had the same standards as the military academies. Not gonna happen.
@ bertenheim
“It would also be nice if every FBS school had the same standards as the military academies.”
Last time I checked Air Force just kicked their leading rusher less than a month before graduation, because of his involvement with a drug ring at the academy. This stuff happens everywhere quit trying to say military schools are immune.
Penn State reacted by removing this kid from their team. I applaud the move! MANY other schools would not have the integrity to follow through. (Don’t even bring up the Sandusky thing, that is the past. This is now)
Yea thug U that’s why he’s kicked off the team. Thug u would have him starting game 1
Penn State’s coaching staff is holding these athletes accountable for their actions. Coach O’Brien has already removed a number of past and potential starters from this team. I applaud the team’s stance on discipline. There is also a report that they stopped recruiting a kid from Erie that was charged with drug possession.
@bertenheim
Perhaps you missed the part about Devon being caught for “drug paraphernalia” in addition to “mary-jane” (marijuana for you Auburn folks). I don’t think this is Devon’s first rodeo. I believe trouble has found him many times before. Penn St appears to have enlisted a “ZERO TOLERANCE” rule and it is being enforced. This is moral and ethical and other institutions should consider this, particularly Auburn University.
How is it moral or ethical? Are you saying that people who don’t smoke pot are somehow of higher morality or more ethical? C’mon, it’s 2012 not 1912. Let’s move on.
As a ‘STUDENT’ athlete, I’m sure that the pot smoker will continue will classes to get his degree !!
@ thegamecocker-
I appreciate your second comment as Penn State did the right thing to remove him from the team. However, your first comment is off a bit. Not all black kids who get in trouble are from the ghetto. Smith is from White Plains MD. It’s not like Penn State plucked this kid from Baltimore housing projects.
@nittanybluehen
I don’t believe I stated that “Not all black kids who get in trouble are from the ghetto.” Some people that grow up in that environment are indeed “Scholar-Athletes” while some are not. And you are correct in that drug issues are not confined to the inner cities. Unfortunately that issue is prevalent almost everywhere in our country.
@friarjack61
You say “I’m sure that the pot smoker will continue will classes to get his degree !!”
You mean pot smokers’ like you? It appears if you indeed did graduate from Providence College, your English 101 course was not one of your strengths.
Sick of all you Penn State primadonas. You are totally deserving along with your entire football program. Facial!!!